Coastwise Transportation; 46 U.S.C. § 55103; 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b)

HQ H096759 March 9, 2010 VES-3-02-OT:RR:BSTC:CCI H096759 JLB CATEGORY: Carriers Mr. Jack Atanassov Norton Lilly International 5080 Mc Lester Street Terminal Control Building, 3rd Floor Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207 RE: Coastwise Transportation; 46 U.S.C. § 55103; 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b) Dear Mr. Atanassov: This letter is in response to your correspondence dated March 8, 2010, in which you request a ruling on whether the coastwise transportation of the individuals mentioned therein aboard the M/V PRESIDENT TRUMAN constitutes a violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. Our ruling on your request follows. FACTS The voyage in question involves the transportation of the subject individuals aboard the non-coastwise-qualified M/V PRESIDENT TRUMAN (“the vessel”). All six of the individuals will embark on March 11, 2010 at New York, New York. Three of the individuals, who will travel aboard the vessel to perform main engine maintenance, will disembark at the port of Savannah, Georgia on March 14, 2010. Two of the individuals will travel aboard the vessel to perform fire system maintenance and repair and will disembark on March 17, 2010 at Norfolk, Virginia. The final individual will travel aboard the vessel to repair the diesel generator and will disembark at Charleston, South Carolina on March 13, 2010. ISSUE Whether the individuals described above would be “passengers” within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b)? LAW AND ANALYSIS The coastwise passenger statute, former 46 U.S.C. App. § 289 recodified as 46 U.S.C. § 55103, pursuant to P.L. 109-304 (October 6, 2006), states that no foreign vessel shall transport passengers “between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or by way of a foreign port,” under a penalty of $300 for each passenger so transported and landed. See also 19 C.F.R. § 4.80(b)(2). The coastwise laws generally apply to points in the territorial sea, which is defined as the belt, three nautical miles wide, seaward of the territorial sea baseline, and to points located in internal waters, landward of the territorial sea baseline. Under 46 U.S.C. § 55103, a “passenger” is any person carried aboard a vessel “who is not connected with the operation of the vessel, her navigation, ownership, or business.” See also 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b). In this regard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) provides a strict interpretation of “passenger” defining the term as persons transported on a vessel unless they are "directly and substantially" connected with the operation, navigation, ownership or business of that vessel itself. See Customs Bulletin of June 5, 2002, Vol. 36, No. 23, at pp. 50. Pursuant to Headquarters Ruling Letter 101699, dated November 5, 1975, it is well settled that "workmen, technicians, or observers transported by vessel between ports of the United States are not classified as ‘passengers’ within the meaning of section 4.50(b) and section 289 [now section 55103] if they are required to be on board to contribute to the accomplishment of the operation or navigation of the vessel during the voyage or are on board because of a necessary vessel ownership or business interest during the voyage." See also Headquarters Ruling Letter 116721, dated September 25, 2006. In the present case, of the six individuals traveling aboard the non-coastwise-qualified vessel, three of them would perform main engine maintenance, two of the individuals would perform fire system maintenance and one individual would repair the diesel generator. Under the facts presented, the individuals would be “directly and substantially” related to the operation of the vessel during the voyage and would not be considered “passengers” under 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b). Consequently, the coastwise transportation of the subject individuals is not in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. HOLDING The subject individuals are not “passengers” within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b). Therefore, the coastwise transportation of such individuals is not in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. Sincerely, Glen E. Vereb, Chief Cargo Security, Carriers and Immigration Branch